The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has designated Mercy Hospital Paris as an Arkansas Stroke Ready Hospital (ArSRH) as part of a collaborative pilot program with Logan County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Stroke continues to take a significant toll on our state. The most recent data show Arkansas has the fifth highest stroke death rate in the country at 45.4 deaths per 100,000 people. Although life-saving treatment is available to reverse the effects of the most common type of stroke, few patients receive medical care in time. If more Arkansas stroke patients arrive at hospitals that are able to provide stroke care within the recommended timeframe, the burden of this disease could be significantly diminished.

The goal of the ArSRH pilot program is to improve outcomes by helping ensure stroke patients are rapidly transported to the most appropriate hospital. EMS providers will screen patients with standardized protocols to effectively recognize stroke and make sure patients receive the right kind of care. EMS will be able to contact the Arkansas Trauma Communications Center (ATCC) where dispatchers access a real-time dashboard for routing stroke patients to the most suitable hospital based on capacity and distance from the patient.